Christmas Vacation to Thatcher, AZ

The night of Christmas Day the tree came down, the living room pulled together and bags packed to leave bright and early at 4 a.m. to start our trek to Thatcher, Arizona to spend our Christmas vacation with Dave's sister Wendy and her family.  It is a 14+ hour drive to get to Wendy's but the girls do amazing in the car.  We couldn't ask for better kids for long trips.  We did the drive in one day and arrived in Thatcher at 7:30 p.m.

One day of hiking



Wendy and Kevin - what a cute couple

It was kind of funny that we left Utah, which had no snow and found snow on our hike in Arizona.

I love these pictures.  I sure hope when they're teenagers they'll still want to hold their Dad's hand.

 

A Day at the Spa with Nicole

Tyler was such a good sport to let Nicole do his hair.

 

A Few Random Photos from Nicole Playing with the Camera

 

One of the things the girls loved the most....playing games with cousins

After Nicole playing with the camera there ended up a fingerprint on the lens.  I didn't catch it for quite awhile as you'll see in the next few pictures.

 

 

A Day at the Zoo

 

 

Tyler, Wendy & Lauren

our awesome zoo tour guides

 

 

 

Thanks to the Jensen's for letting us come and invade their home and Christmas vacation. We had a great time hanging out with them for a week.  The girls have already asked if we're going again this year.

Christmas Morning 2011

This Christmas, Santa tricked us and deposited all of the presents upstairs in the TV room.  He was so awesome and wrapped the door to the room and added a huge red bow.

Santa did leave the stockings downstairs so after we had our traditional cinnamon rolls and orange juice, we dug into the stockings.

After stockings, we headed upstairs to open presents. Grandma Peterson drove out and joined the party.

 

 

 

Here's a cute picture to prove that Dave was there.  How does it happen that there are no pictures of me?  Don't worry.  I was there....just the one behind the camera.



Christmas Pjs

On Christmas Eve just before going to Grandma & Grandpa Welker's for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, each of the girls got to open a brand new pair of pajamas.  You would have thought I'd given them a million dollars.  They were so excited.......and cute!

and a bit silly....... 

 

 

 .......but cute!

A Promise to My Children

A Promise to My Children

As long as I live, I am your Parent first and your Friend second.  I will stalk you, flip out on you, lecture you, drive you insane, be your worst nightmare and hunt you down like a bloodhound when needed because I LOVE YOU!  When you understand that I will know you are a responsible adult.  You will NEVER find someone who loves, prays, cares and worries about you more than I do.  If you don't hate me once in your life, I am not doing my job properly.

Love,
Mom

Hannah's 4H Project

Some may know and some may not that Hannah has joined a 4H Dog club this summer and she will be showing Kiera at the fair tomorrow.

Kiera joined our family back in early June for the summer.  Our good friends, the Benson's, have let us "borrow" one of their Bichon Frise (pronounced Bishon) dogs for the summer so Hannah could participate in this adventure.

I know....I am like most of you......who would have EVER thought Dave would allow a dog inside our home. I guess it's amazing what three pairs of little eyes from three little girls can do to soften a Dad's heart.

Kiera has been a great "trial" dog for our family.  She is three years old, doesn't shed, already potty trained, kennel trained and leash trained.  Yes...we're spoiled.

Kiera is in love with Hannah and Hannah is in love with Kiera.  Ashley and Nicole adore her and do get upset at times that she always follows Hannah around.  However, we make sure and take turns at night as to whose bed she gets to start out in before put in her kennel for the entire night.

We went to our ward swim party Tuesday night and were gone for a few hours.  Upon returning home the girls were on the floor hugging Kiera and she was kissing them.  Man....you would have thought we had been gone for days the way this reunion was going.

We wish Hannah good luck tomorrow in showing Kiera.  Here is a picture of the two of them that is hooked to her score card.

 

Good Moms

My mom sent me this saying today and it made me take a sigh and say to myself that I am normal.

This came at the appropriate time when I'm struggling and stressing to stay above water with work, laundry, household chores, church responsibilities and life in general.

Maybe it well help you as much as it helped me.

 

Swim Olympics 2012

All three girls started their third session of swim lessons today.  Yes, that is six weeks of being at the pool.

Last Thursday, Hannah's swim teacher gave her a paper advertising the Swim Summer Olympics, which were being held today.  I really thought nothing of it.  Hannah is currently in the "pre-team" session of swim lessons where they perfect their skills and then are invited to join the swim team when they are ready.

Today at lessons Hannah's new coach, who happens to be the gentleman over the swim lessons at the Sports Academy, asks his students who was doing the Olympics.  A couple of girls in Hannah's class raised their hands.  The coach asked Hannah if she was doing the Olympics and she said no.  He then told her that she really should.  She's a good swimmer and she should talk to her mom about doing it.

We chatted a bit after lessons while she was playing outside in the pool with her sisters and a couple of friends from Mendon.   I'm torn and undecided as to whether or not let her try.  Dave came to the pool after work and so we had a few minutes to think about it and decided that we'd let her give it a go.

Being new to this whole swim team thing, we signed Hannah up to participate in four events.  Hindsight says that maybe she should have signed up for two but hey it's a live and learn thing.

Hannah competed in the I.M. 100 meet first.  In all honesty, I had no idea what this meant until I watched what they were doing.  It's all four swim stokes (butterfly, back, breast and free style).  So they do each stoke once across the pool, which translates into down and back twice.

She had quite a bit of a break and then competed in the breast stroke.  Now let me just say that Hannah nor I have ever even watched a swim meet let alone participate in one.  So it was a bit intimidating for Hannah to think about jumping in from the podium.  I give her credit she stood her ground and was different and went in off the side, which they said was okay

Her third meet was the back stroke, which is one of Hannah's strong points.  Once again, Dave and I were proud of her.  She stood her ground and did an awesome job.

Her last heat was the freestyle in which she had to race in the second heat....with the boys.  Once again there was the proud beaming parents on the side because Hannah held her own swimming against the boys.

For the I.M. 100 meet, Hannah walked away with the bronze medal.  I think this one ended up being a bit harder than we thought and she was exhausted after the fact but pretty proud that she won a medal.

During the meet you could see the clouds coming in and bringing the rain storm.  So they started running straight through the meets and then decided they'd give the awards afterwards instead of during/between runs.  For the breast stroke and the back stroke both Dave and I were so proud of Hannah for giving it her all and she was just right behind another girl.  They were pretty much neck to neck.  However, for the back stroke, Hannah didn't know how to read the flags and ended up hitting her head.  She didn't stop though.  She kept going.

After all of the meets were done, they grilled hot dogs and had a little Bar B Que.  Hannah wanted to get a hot dog and she deserved it so her and I stayed and Dave headed home.  After eating, I suggested that we leave but Hannah wanted to stay and hear the names for the awards because what if she won another one.  Well, me of little faith was totally fine with leaving because in watching the heats she came up just a millimeter short but we stayed to listen anyway.

Well, thank goodness we stayed to listen because Hannah also won the bronze medal for the back stroke.  I'm sure we both looked a little shocked when they read her name.  She walked up and the announcer told her that she could smile, which is hilarious because Hannah is really good at showing no emotion on her face.

As we left she looked at me and said, "Well mom,aren't you glad I suggested we stay?"  Yes Hannah, that was awesome to see.

What great courage she has.  Dave and I were sure proud parents standing off on the side watching her give it her all.  Even if she had walked away without a medal I still would have been just as proud.  Trying something for the very first time can be so intimidating and I know she wanted to give up after the first heat of 100 meters but she kept at it and walked away a winner. 

Way to go Hannah!